Page 41 of Beasts

“I didn't tell anyone at the house because I didn't want them to think I was afraid of them.” I peer backwards over my shoulder at Oliver's confused expression. “The truth is, when I was eight years old, my parents and I lived here in San Francisco. Our house was backed up onto a park and I knew that my aunt lived across the park. I was upset because I had found out that I was adopted, so I went to go find my aunt.” I can see Mr. Pierce’s expression start to change. “While I was walking through that park, I was attacked. The creature that attacked me had pasty white skin, bright eyes and very sharp fangs. I was so confused, I didn't think anything of it until he attacked me and bit me. That's when I knew vampires were real. I tried to tell people what happened to me, but they just thought I got attacked by a dog or something. I ended up in therapy for a couple of years until I eventually decided to tell people that I didn't get attacked by a vampire that it must have just been a dog. But the truth is, I've known that demons have existed for a very long time. I hadn't had the chance to understand them, so I wanted to do that so when I figured out that the boys in this house were in fact demons, I wanted to introduce myself and I wanted to make sure that I had a chance to get to know them. So if you need to punish anyone, you can punish me. But if you're looking to punish a demon for revealing themselves to me, then you're going to have a very hard time finding the vampire that bit me. Either way, Oliver is not the one you need to be punishing.” I stand there waiting for Mr. Pierce to react.

“Did this happen?” He questions turning to the man on his side. Unlike the rest of them, this man didn't look like he was pale and kept out of the sunlight.

“Yes, I can see it.” The man simply responds. Is this perhaps the psychic?

“Very well. I suppose then, Amelia, there is nothing that I can do. Unless you can somehow identify that particular vampire.”

“I was eight. I don't think that's gonna happen anytime soon.”

“Understood. Given that it's likely a vampire from a different clan, there's nothing I can do about you either. Some clans are open to humans knowing about them. If I were to kill you, and one of them found out it would definitely put a dent in our reputation.” Is that really all this guy was caring about, his reputation, not even about killing his son? “We will disband for the night. You two can go home.”

“What about Seth?” Oliver questions.

“We sent him home the moment you arrived.” It only takes a few moments, but everyone around us disappears.

I turn to Oliver and try to check his wound, but he steps back from me. “Sorry, I-”

“Don't wanna hurt me? Too fucking late.” His face suddenly changes from concern to surprise. “First, you didn't wake me up. In fact, you got Hendrik to turn off my alarm, which is just rude. Next thing I hear, you've left the house without telling anyone where you went. Hendrik eventually tells me to go up to your room to check for a note. The note, by the way, which doesn't give me enough information to come and find you. Usually when you leave a note, you tell someone where you went. That's just common courtesy. I had to lie to Nolan in order to get him to reveal where this place is. I then ran out of the house and took a really dingy taxi all the way here. If I had come all the way here just to die along with you, I would be really upset that I didn't at least get to travel in a car with you. You don't get to decide that you're happy to die just so I could live.”

“People do stupid things when they're in love Amelia, I couldn't see you get hurt.” I’m momentarily speechless, my mouth agape. Did he just confess his love for me? As this realization dawns, he chuckles softly, an awkward attempt to lighten the mood. “Sorry, it’s just...your expression is adorably priceless right now.”

That seems to wake me up. “If you weren't bleeding right now, I would totally punch you.”

“Speaking of, I think it's still bleeding.”

“You need to let me take a look.”

“I came here without you to avoid you getting hurt. The last thing I need to be is the one that causes your hurt.”

“Oh fuck me, Oliver, I-”

“Did that.” I'm so stunned by his cheeky response that I can't even take him seriously right now.

“You know what I change my mind, you can die. I'm going home.”

“Amelia, wait.” As I look into his eyes, I can see something is not quite right with him.

“What is it?”

“I think you should have let them kill me.”

“Are you insane? Do you have some kind of death wish?”

“No. Why didn't you say anything earlier about what happened in Grandview Park?”

“Well…” I can feel my brows furrowing as I'm trying to think really hard. “I never said it was in Grandview Park.”

“I know. But the second you started telling that story, it suddenly felt more like a memory to me. I think I was about nine at the time, but I remember going into the park. It was me, Amelia. I was the one that bit you. I was the reason that you were afraid of vampires, the reason you ended up in therapy with no friends. It was me.”

Even though it wasn’t a long drive, we end up silent most of the way home. The one thing we didn't want the taxi driver to overhear is a discussion about the time Oliver once bit me. Through the whole ride, I wanted to tell them that I was okay. I just needed a few moments to let it settle. Unfortunately, I think I took a little bit too long and now he's a bit worried about where we stand. As the taxi stops in front of the house, we get out and we see quite a few people waiting there for us. The first one to dash forward and give me a hug is Hendrik. I'm not surprised. He probably thinks that he almost sent me to my death. Nolan goes to Oliver to check him out, doing his best to avoid touching him directly, he says he'll make sure he gets up to bed and bandages his wounds correctly. I let everyone know that Oliver and I are completely off the hook, which is met by an unusually large amount of cheering and a suggestion to order pizza. Once Hendrik leaves my side, Seth takes his place. I return his hug graciously, I was really worried about him.

As the group starts to walk inside, Seth slows down, and I match his pace. “I’m glad you are both okay, you’re certainly surprising.” He says.

“Surprising? Aren’t you supposed to know everything?”

“I see things about people, Amelia, sure. But when it comes to you, I have to look at others to get a clear picture. Your choices, although they probably seem set to you, change frequently. You have so many possible futures.”

“Wow.” I stop before we walk through the door. “Is that normal?”

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